The buzz over annoying corporate buzzwords

Hello, Team! Let’s gather around for a quick chat. I want to make sure that your time is well spent on this platform!

Let’s talk about corporate buzzwords – they are a common annoyance for many of us. While they may seem like a necessary evil, they never seem to go away.

Now, I’m not suggesting a complete overhaul of our business jargon – we can’t change everything at once! But we can start by addressing some of the more overused phrases.

Buzzwords are meant to convey a lot of meaning in a few words. They are supposed to be impactful. (Let’s remember that. We’ll come back to this point later.)

Corporate enthusiasts believe that buzzwords help create a sense of unity and teamwork – a “flexicon” to showcase team spirit. (“Flexicon” is a term I just came up with, and I wanted to share it with you!)

However, research has shown that using too much jargon can actually hinder trust. For example, when HR tells us that the company is “smartsizing,” it can be confusing and misleading. We need transparency in communication!

Younger generations, like Gen Z, who are used to getting instant answers from technology, may rely on buzzwords as a way to navigate the corporate world. They may feel pressured to use jargon to fit in.

Studies have also found that employees who feel inferior in the workplace tend to use more buzzwords. It’s understandable to feel insecure if you suddenly find yourself “layered” with a new supervisor without warning.

Some buzzwords have become ingrained in our language, like “synergy,” while new terms are constantly emerging. Personally, I struggle to understand phrases like “distributed cloud.” It just sounds like bad weather to me.

Let’s be honest – buzzwords are often used to make mundane tasks sound more exciting. They are essentially metaphors for making money. Idea showers, growth hacks – they are all just fancy expressions.

So, here’s a suggestion: let’s communicate in simple, straightforward language. If you enjoy metaphors, why not read some poetry? There are plenty of beautiful poems to explore. Shakespeare, for example, was a master of metaphor, and he didn’t need to use buzzwords to convey his message.

Compare your supervisor to a lovely summer’s day, and maybe they will reconsider all the unnecessary “layering.”

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Story produced by Sari Aviv. Editor: Chad Cardin.

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